“Regulars stayed away due to accommodation and parking prices and congestion signs put them off.

“Hopefully, next year more people will come.”

Melanie Rush, of West Hill Beach Donkeys on Weymouth Beach, left, said: “I don’t think the Olympics benefited us but we will be able to tell the true impact next summer.”

Chris Bratchell, of White Horse Holiday Park, said: “Between the Olympics, the weather, the economy and the absence of Condor, traders have faced very difficult conditions which may carry forward if we take no action.”

LOWER than expected visitor numbers and poor takings at the tills are two of the findings revealed by the Weymouth and Portland visitor survey.

A questionnaire, commissioned by the economy group of Weymouth and Portland partnership, was answered by a sample size of 691 people along The Esplanade, near or in the Live Site, the Bayside Festival and the harbour area during the Olympics.

Only 10 per cent were drawn to the area for the first time because of the sailing events, according to the survey.

And nearly half of staying visitors said the Games played no role in their decision to visit.

A LACK of trade was blamed for the collapse of the Bayside Festival, which left traders thousands of pounds out of pocket.

And the Echo photographer asked the subject of the picture;
"Look dour and please fold your arms across your chest. Our readers expect it"!
As for the article, nothing we hadn't already sussed for ourselves.Laadeeda

Fair play to those that stuck to normal prices and were fully booked as a result. Wilton Guest House got lucky, but the rest of you took a gamble to put up your prices, and it backfired!

ha ha... ha!
this is what greed deserves!
Fair play to those that stuck to normal prices and were fully booked as a result. Wilton Guest House got lucky, but the rest of you took a gamble to put up your prices, and it backfired!stench

marabout wrote:
Please, Please don't tell me that the chairman of the Weymouth and Portland Hoteliers association doesn't own a shirt and tie.

Is it any wonder ????????

That's what you see him in every day, Not smart at all...In town, out the front of his Guesthouse, at School...
Not a good look for a Chairman....

[quote][p][bold]marabout[/bold] wrote:
Please, Please don't tell me that the chairman of the Weymouth and Portland Hoteliers association doesn't own a shirt and tie.
Is it any wonder ????????[/p][/quote]That's what you see him in every day, Not smart at all...In town, out the front of his Guesthouse, at School...
Not a good look for a Chairman....Trisher56

Weymouth is screaming out for a decent standard chain hotel, somewhere where they can guarantee the standard and know what they are getting. Speaking to visitors around town during the games, some of them where being bussed in from Bournemouth for the day as there was no where decent to stay, people, especially those who are interested in sailing dont want to stay in B&B's with no parking and shared facilities, tastes have changed since the 60's and unfortunately Weymouth has not kept up with the times, but I guess having decent hotels isnt in the interest of the hoteliers asso?

Weymouth is screaming out for a decent standard chain hotel, somewhere where they can guarantee the standard and know what they are getting. Speaking to visitors around town during the games, some of them where being bussed in from Bournemouth for the day as there was no where decent to stay, people, especially those who are interested in sailing dont want to stay in B&B's with no parking and shared facilities, tastes have changed since the 60's and unfortunately Weymouth has not kept up with the times, but I guess having decent hotels isnt in the interest of the hoteliers asso?PHonnor

Lets face it, the results of any Echo 'survey' have to be either extremely positive or completely negative in order to make an impact. Keep scaring visitors, businesses and investors away with the regular stream of negativity - as long as you sell papers that's all that matters, eh?

An outsider who's thinking of visiting Weymouth and Googles it will see so much Echo negativity that they probably wouldn't bother considering it again. Who does the Echo serve? Itself and not the local community.

Lets face it, the results of any Echo 'survey' have to be either extremely positive or completely negative in order to make an impact. Keep scaring visitors, businesses and investors away with the regular stream of negativity - as long as you sell papers that's all that matters, eh?
An outsider who's thinking of visiting Weymouth and Googles it will see so much Echo negativity that they probably wouldn't bother considering it again. Who does the Echo serve? Itself and not the local community.Chris S B